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26 n e w h a v e n B I Z | M a r c h 2 0 2 1 | n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m New president and CEO named for Avangrid Networks Orange-based energy company Avangrid Inc. has picked Catherine S. Stempien to serve as the president and CEO of its subsidiary, Avangrid Networks. Stempien starts in her new position on March 15. She will take over for Anthony Marone, who is retiring aer 33 years with the company. Stempien will lead Avangrid's largest business unit, serving 3.3 million custom- ers with electric and gas service through eight companies in Maine, Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts. She most recently has served as the president of Duke Energy Florida, an elec- tric utility serving more than 1.8 million customers. Yale New Haven Hospital picks new COO Yale New Haven Hospital has picked a longtime healthcare executive to serve as its new chief operating officer. Michael D. Holmes, who originally joined the hospital as senior vice president of operations in 2013, has been a senior executive in the health industry for more than three decades. Holmes is filling a vacancy created when Dr. Keith B. Churchwell was promoted to president. Prior to his promotion, Holmes served as the hospital's incident commander during crises such as COVID-19, and he will continue to be responsible for crisis management. Before Holmes came to Yale, he had leadership positions in healthcare systems in Illinois, Florida and Ohio. WSHU Public Radio sees leadership changes George J. Lombardi, long-time general manager of WSHU Public Radio, recently retired following a 44-year career. e station is based in Fairfield and owned by Sacred Heart University, A. Rima Dael, a development and management executive with over 25 years of experience with nonprofit organizations in the public media, arts and education sectors, is succeeding Lombardi. Under Lombardi's leadership, the station evolved from a student-run radio station into an NPR member station with an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning regional news team and a steadfast commitment to classical music. Dael joined WSHU Public Radio as station manager in September 2019. Trevi Therapeutics appoints new chief development officer Trevi erapeutics Inc., a New Haven- based biopharmaceutical company, has appointed William Forbes as chief development officer. Forbes will be responsible for leading the clinical development of the drug Haduvio, which is in late-stage clinical trials for its two lead indications, related to the treatment of chronic cough and itching. Jennifer L. Good, Trevi's president and CEO, said Forbes has a "proven track record of success," in progressing products through all stages of development. Forbes has over 30 years of experience in pharmaceutical product development. Before joining Trevi, he served as founder, president and CEO of Vivelix Pharmaceuticals. New dean picked to lead Quinnipiac's College of Arts and Sciences Adam David Roth has been appointed dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of rhetoric and philosophy at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, effective July 1. Roth will replace Dean Robert Smart, who will retire on June 30. Roth is currently the assistant to the dean for strategic initiatives in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Rhode Island, and a professor of communi- cation studies and rhetoric. He will be responsible for the academic and educational mission of the college, which has nearly 1,800 students and 150 faculty members across 20 programs. New dean named for QU's School of Medicine Dr. Phillip M. Boiselle has been appoint- ed dean and professor of medicine at Quin- nipiac University's Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine. Boiselle's new role is effective July 1. Boiselle, who currently serves as professor and dean of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic Univer- sity in Boca Raton, Fla., will have primary responsibility for the School of Medicine's academic and educational mission. He replaces founding dean, Dr. Bruce Koeppen, who plans to retire on June 30. Boiselle is familiar with the area, as he trained as a chief resident at Yale University. "I am honored to lead the Frank H. Net- ter MD School of Medicine through its next phase of growth," Boiselle said. n C - S u i t e Adam David Roth Preparing for tomorrow's jobs must start today V i e w p o i n t By Rebecca L. Watts C onnecticut's economy can afford to leave no one behind, and no stone unturned. "Our workforce is at an inflection point," Garrett Moran, chair of the Connecticut Governor's Workforce Council said recently, as the state's economy was being buffeted by the coronavirus, business shutdowns and employee furloughs and layoffs. e state's goals are focused on a strong future: To develop and sustain a world- class workforce, expanded economy and abundant prospects for Connecticut residents to advance in their careers by seizing opportunities in emerging, evolving or growing industries. It is essential to assure access to higher education as a prerequisite for that individual and shared economic progress. Too oen, those most in need of higher education are hard-pressed to pursue educational opportunities that lead to economic opportunity for themselves and their families. Whether due to high cost, a limiting work schedule, family commitments or absence of digital resources, people are being le behind. e current disparities in Connecticut are stark, and the consequences are felt not only by those facing barriers but also by Connecticut businesses and industries. e Council's workforce strategic plan stresses that to unleash all the talent that is out there "we should be talking about closing the opportunity gap, not just a skills gap." Connecticut's workplaces are changing rapidly, Gov. Ned Lamont has said, emphasizing that if we don't take action now, "we will be letting down current and future generations of workers and their families and stifling the growth and innovation of the Connecticut economy." Data from the UConn Center of Economic Analysis are revealing. More than 320,000 state residents (12% of adults) have not earned a high school diploma. An additional 20% of high school diploma holders have not mastered sufficient skills for postsecondary and employment success. A growing population of 120,000 are non- native speakers learning English as a second language. Across all three populations, the need — and opportunity — for continued education is substantial. And, with that education, there are jobs to fill. Information technology is one of the highest- growth sectors in the Connecticut economy. ere are 6,000 open computing jobs here, the workforce council points out, with future demand anticipated to reach 13,000 positions. In health care, the state reports annual workforce demand exceeds 7,000 new workers, with significant shortages in nursing, certified nursing assistants, skilled technician roles and long-term and home health care. Leading companies are among many seeking qualified employees locally, including e Hartford, Travelers, Hartford HealthCare, Adnet Technologies and Axiom Technologies. e scope of the workforce challenges Connecticut faces requires multiple remedies and cooperation to ensure that residents have access to relevant education- to-career pathways, and businesses and industries have access to well-qualified candidates they require. Connecticut's outstanding colleges and universities continue to provide life- changing education for many; for others, however, another approach to earning a degree might be more effective. Western Governors University (WGU) — with more than 1,200 Connecticut alumni — pioneered competency-based, online education more than two decades ago. WGU measures each student's skills and subject knowledge, rather than "hours" spent in a classroom. And every student receives one-to-one faculty support. WGU enrollment by Connecticut residents has more than tripled during the past five years, and currently includes well over 700 students — in fields including information technology, health care, business and education. Low-cost, online learning that offers a flexible schedule is uniquely positioned to advance equity by meeting the needs of those historically under-represented: people living in poverty, students of color, first-generation students, rural and urban residents, and learners who pursue postsecondary education long aer high school. As the workforce council pointed out, "e urgent need to upskill our workforce hasn't disappeared because of the pandemic, it has gained greater urgency." To accomplish Connecticut's ambitious agenda, we need an all-hands-on-deck strategy, with heightened industry and higher education collaboration to expand opportunity. n Rebecca L. Watts serves as a regional vice president for Western Governors University, a private online university. Rebecca L. Watts Catherine S. Stempien Michael D. Holmes Dr. Phillip M. Boiselle

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